She saved me
by alicewonder26
Summary: Head Boy Draco meets a Gryffindor witch on rounds. Will this muggle born change his future?


**AN: Happy New Year! Here's a bit of Draco fluff for 2016. As always, I don't own HP. I'm not JKR. I also don't own any of the songs used in this fic. This came out of nowhere on the last day of the year, when my muse decided she'd gift me with this drabble. As always, there no beta, so any spelling and grammar mistakes are my own. This is also AU. I hope you enjoy and leave a review!**

Hermione and Draco were making their rounds one evening and it was dreadfully boring so far. They hadn't caught anyone out of bed and were just making small talk when they rounded the corner and spotted an open door. Soft yellow light peeked out onto the cold stone floor and they heard soft sounds coming from the room that was at the end of hall. Draco and Hermione shared a look and slipped their wands out as they tiptoed to the room.

As they neared the room, they could hear that sounds coming from the room was actually someone singing. This someone had a beautiful voice, and an upbeat country sound accompanied her voice. Draco shared a confused look with Hermione as he thought about who it could be. He wasn't sure. Draco peered into the room, an old charms classroom and a smile spread across his face as he recognized Haley Taylor. She was a fellow seventh year, but a Gryffindor. Her honey brown curls were piled up off her head and she'd shed her robes. She swayed slightly as she sang, her fingers on the guitar in her hands.

Draco shared a glance with Hermione, who was also wearing a grin. Her eyes told him she didn't want to land one of her friends in detention. Haley had obviously come here for a reason.

Haley's voice was soft as she sang a song neither of them recognized, "He tried hard to keep them apart, but you can't draw lines in a young girl's heart…. He knew his place, it was right beside her… head over heels for a brown eyed girl, and getting caught, didn't seem to matter. Cause heaven was waiting at the top, of Jacob's ladder."

Haley's fingers and voice came to a halt as she sensed someone else watching her, and her brown eyes widened as spotted the Head Boy and girl in the doorway.

"Oh, no…" Her voice, much like her personality, was soft as she thought she was going to be punished, but Draco stepped into the empty classroom, Hermione behind him.

Draco glanced down at the young woman who was seated on the floor. She glanced up at him with unknown emotions in her brown eyes.

Draco gave her a smile, "Hermione and I were just enjoying your beautiful singing. Livened up our rounds, which, so far have been dreadfully boring."

Haley blushed at Draco's compliment, which pleased the Slytherin.

Hermione knelt, taking a seat next to Haley, " He's right. It's been pretty boring tonight. We were curious when we heard you singing. What song was that?"

Haley glanced back and forth between the two, almost as if she was unsure when the other shoe was going to drop. When she seemed certain they weren't going to punish her, she set her guitar down and picked up some parchment on the floor.

"it's one of my favorite songs." She admitted, her eyes on the parchment. She glanced up at Hermione and a soft smile spread across her full lips.

Draco sat next to the pretty young Gryffindor and asked, "Can we hear you sing it? We are done with rounds now, and I'll admit to not hearing that type of music before."

Haley gave Draco a smile which made butterflies appear in his stomach, " It's muggle music. That's probably why."

Hermione transfigured some cushions for them to sit on and both sat back as Haley began singing the song. She closed her eyes as she sang, a blissful look overcoming her features. Her voice was truly beautiful, and Draco knew he'd never ever hear someone sing with such emotion. It was funny how a song could evoke different emotions, but Draco could swear the reaction of the father in the song was something akin to what his own father would ever say to him if he fell for a muggle born witch.

Haley's voice kept that upbeat tune as she finished the song, and when she was done, Draco and Hermione clapped. A pink blush swept across Haley's features and Draco didn't know when he'd ever seen someone look more pretty. He kept her in his thoughts even as he fell asleep in his dorm later that night.

And so it became a nightly event. Every Saturday night, Hermione or Draco would come across the young witch as she sat in the unused classroom. Most times they would watch her from the door as she sang, not having time in their duties to stop and chat. Sometimes they would have time, and those evenings were long and full of laughter as they got to know the shy Gryffindor. Draco noted one Saturday that Hermione wasn't walking the corridor anymore. When he pressed her, the only thing she would say was that she thought Draco might like patrolling that side of the castle best.

Draco didn't disagree with her. He found he looked forward to those Saturday nights he got to spend with Haley. One evening, it was late when he came upon her in the classroom. But it wasn't a Saturday. There was something off with Haley as he heard her gorgeous voice raised in song. There was a slight tremor in some of the words she sang. Draco walked into the classroom, shutting the door behind him.

Haley's voice was achingly sad as she sang, "It wasn't supposed to be this way. Staring in the mirror with little black rivers running down her face. Tomorrow's gonna be a brand new day. She'll wake up in the morning, and wash it all away. Last night, he said she was the one. But men and mascara, always run. Men and mascara always run."

She set her guitar down with a soft sigh and set her head in her hands when Draco kneeled in front of her. Draco reached out with his fingers, pushing away the honey brown curls away from her face. Haley's brown eyes were filled with tears, and plenty more had made tracks down her pretty face. Her eyes were red and puffy as she gazed at Draco.

Draco's heart clenched at the sight. "What happened Haley?" He kept his words soft, as not to startle her.

Haley's own voice was rough, with a hint of sadness in her tone. "I don't understand men. He told me…"

Her voice broke and her eyes filled with tears, and it didn't take Draco long to piece together what happened. Someone hurt her. And pretty badly, if her tears were anything to go on. Draco reached out for her, and was surprised when Haley slipped into his arms. She cried on his shoulder and Draco rubbed her back, not caring that she was leaving a wet spot on his robes.

They sat like that for what seemed like ages, until Haley lifted her head from Draco's shoulder and gave him another one of those smiles that sent the butterflies in his stomach fluttering.

"Thank you, Draco." Her voice was soft, and a smile shone on her face.

Draco loved the way she said his name. No one else said his name quite the way that Haley did.

It was another Saturday when he came across Haley again. Hermione was with her in the empty room and when he made to enter, Hermione shot him a look which clearly said not to. Draco, not sure why he was being disinvited to visit with the woman he was beginning to have feelings for, finished his rounds in anger. He was still angry on Sunday when he came across Haley again.

Haley was singing, as usual. Draco had taken to fixing up the dusty classroom she was using as her hideout. He left a comfy couch he found while on the Easter Holidays, and a lamp he found on his rounds. Draco stood in the doorway and watched as she finished the song she was singing. This time was different as she made eye contact with him, her voice drawing him in the way it always did.

Haley's voice was full of angst, and tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes as she sang. Draco sat down on the edge of the couch, keeping his gray eyes on hers as she sang to . She was singing to him, wasn't she?

"What if it's you? What if our hearts were meant to be one? What I'll do, knowing that I'll never love anyone, as much as I do love you. What if it's true? What's if it's you? If I ever hold you, I'll never let go. But if I never do, how will I know?" Tears made salty tracks down Haley's face as she stared at Draco.

It was obvious the young woman had feelings for him, he could sense it. Had known for a while. But he supposed she'd heard the rumor that he was going to marry Astoria Greengrass. That would explain Hermione's behavior last week when she told him to stay out. Draco let out a large sigh as he kept his eyes locked on Haley's.

Haley's voice trembled, "I heard about your engagement to Astoria. Congratulations."

Draco's heart was breaking for the beautiful witch in front of him. He didn't want to marry Astoria. He'd told his father so, told him he'd found a suitable witch that was better than Astoria in every way.

"You heard that?" Draco kept his eyes on the witch before him, determined to tell her what he'd told his father.

Haley nodded. " Astoria told me."

Draco shook his head. That was Astoria.

Draco ran his fingers through his pale blonde hair and sighed. " I'm not marrying Astoria, Haley."

Haley gave him a confused look. "But she said-"

Draco cut her off, frustration entering his voice, " I know what she probably told you, but I'm not marrying her. I know that her parents think I'll come to my senses eventually, but I made my desire clear to my father when we spoke last. I told him I had my eyes on another, more suitable witch."

Haley's fingers shook as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, "Oh?"

Draco nodded, "Yes. Do you know who that witch is?"

Haley shook her head, her eyes conveying her disbelief. "Who is she? Do I know her?"

Draco fought a smile. "You do. In fact, you are her, Haley."

Haley's brown eyes widened and her full pink lips parted to say something, he wasn't sure what, for he placed his fingers on her lips.

Draco kept his voice soft, " I told my father all about you. I told him how we met, and how I'd gotten to know you. I also told him your blood status, and how that didn't matter to me. I told him I wanted you, and that if he chose to disown me, he could."

Draco let those words sink into Haley's mind before he dropped the bombshell. "He said he was looking forward to meeting the witch who captured my heart."

Haley finally found her voice, "but, he doesn't care that I'm a muggle born?"

Draco pressed his lips together, "I don't know. But he isn't willing to lose me as his heir. That will come with time. All I know is I couldn't let myself be bound to a witch who only wanted me for my money."

Draco then scooted closer to Haley and did something he'd been wanting to do for months. He kissed her. He pressed his lips to hers and tasted her sweet essence. Haley tasted of honey and warm summer days. She let out a soft sigh as he held her tight to him. And as he pulled away from her, he was thankful for that boring night of patrolling with Granger. It led him to someone he would never have considered before. Someone who saved him from marrying a woman he would have come to loathe. Haley saved him.


End file.
